Monthly unemployment rates in Australia
Australia: Monthly unemployment rates was 4.2 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup in 2025. ▲ Rising
Monthly unemployment rates in Australia, 1967–2025
Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup.
Analysis
In 2025, monthly unemployment rates in Australia stood at 4.2 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup.
The figure is up 4.6% on the previous year and down 30.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, monthly unemployment rates in Australia peaked at 10.87 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup in 1993 and was at its lowest, 1.62 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup, in 1970.
Australia ranks 25th of 32 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 59 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.84 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | 1.8 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | 1.88 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | 3 |
| 1970s | 3.92 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | 1.62 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | 6.44 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | 10 |
| 1980s | 7.59 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | 5.78 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | 9.96 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | 10 |
| 1990s | 8.77 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | 6.87 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | 10.87 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.47 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | 4.23 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | 6.74 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.51 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | 5.08 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | 6.08 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.53 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | 3.69 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | 6.44 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | 6 |
Countries ranked near Australia
- 22 Norway 4.51 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup compare
- 23 Hungary 4.38 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup compare
- 24 Iceland 4.35 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup compare
- 26 United States 4.02 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup compare
- 27 Germany 3.77 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup compare
- 28 Bulgaria 3.52 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup compare
More work & labour data for Australia
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.5057 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.4907 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.5202 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -0.9895 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.8931 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 30,186 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 3,001 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 21,642 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 21,502 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 43,144 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is monthly unemployment rates in Australia?
- Monthly unemployment rates in Australia was 4.2 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup in 2025, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
- What is the highest monthly unemployment rates recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 10.87 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup in 1993.
- What is the lowest monthly unemployment rates recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.62 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup in 1970.
- How does Australia rank for monthly unemployment rates?
- Australia ranks 25th out of 32 countries with data for 2025.
- Is monthly unemployment rates rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 30.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as part of Monthly unemployment rates. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 59 observations, free to reuse under OECD Terms and Conditions (attribution required).
About this data
The infra-annual dataflow on the monthly unemployment rate is a subset of the infra-annual labour statistics database, which contains predominantly monthly and quarterly statistics on the unemployed population by age groups (15+, 15-24, 25-54, 55-64, 15-64 and 15-74 where available) and sex and associated statistical methodological information and associated statistical methodological information, for the OECD member countries and for selected other economies. The unemployment rate is calculated as the number of unemployed persons as a percentage of the labour force (i.e., the unemployed plus those in employment). The unemployed are persons in their working age who, in the reference period, do not have a job; are available for work; and, have taken specific steps to find a job. Chile, Costa Rica, and the United Kingdom publish Labour Force Survey (LFS) data using a rolling quarter methodology. The OECD treats the middle month of the rolling quarter as the reference month. As a result, the publication of monthly LFS data for these countries may be delayed by one month or more relative to the OECD reference month. The infra-annual labour statistics compiled for all OECD member countries, are drawn from Labour Force Surveys based on definition provided by the 19th Conference of Labour Statisticians in 2013. The uniform application of these definitions across all OECD member countries results in estimates that are internationally comparable.